Peter Dawson, pictured, couldn’t resist jumping – his brother Rob explained in heart breaking tribute following the skydiver’s death in Queensland on Friday
The brother of one of the skydivers who died in Queensland’s worst ever skydiving accident has spoken of the thrill seeker’s love of heights.
Rob Dawson has spoken to Daily Mail Australia following his brother Peter’s death.
‘L’appel du Vide. It means ‘call of the void’,’ he said.
‘It’s where you’re standing at the edge of a cliff and feel the urge to jump.
‘Well, Pete always jumped.’
Mr Dawson was an experienced skydiver with a huge passion for the sport and had successfully completed the jump over Mission Beach in North Queensland hundreds of times.
Known as Daws to his mates the ‘cheeky’ instructor also loved fishing and other adventure sports like rock climbing and boating.
His friend Toby Turner, who died alongside him, had been around the world chasing the thrill of jumping from great heights.
Mr Dawson was a veteran skydiver, he was friends with the Pike family including Kerri – the customer who died alongside him and fellow instructor Toby Turner
Toby Turner, who also died in the accident was an avid thrill seeker and loved base jumping as well as skydiving – he took his passion across the world
The two men were taking mother-of-eight Kerri Pike (pictured) for a ’50th birthday jump’ when tragedy struck and all three died
He has taken his passion for skydiving and base jumping to several continents and is part of the ‘base jumpers without borders’ group.
The two men were taking mother-of-eight Kerri Pike for a ’50th birthday jump’ when tragedy struck and all three died.
Many in the small community of Mission Beach know both the instructors and Mrs Pike.
And Mr Dawson was friends with Kerri, her husband Alister and their children – who share his love of fishing.
Many in the small community of Mission Beach know both the instructors and Mrs Pike – Mr Dawson pictured with parachutes
Toby Turner, pictured, loved base jumping – pictured – and had jumped hundreds of times
On Friday night, friends of the three – including tearful members of Skydive staff – grieved their loss at a beachside bar – Mr Dawson pictured
On Friday night, friends of the three – including tearful members of Skydive staff – grieved their loss at a beachside bar.
‘We’re all shattered,’ one told the Courier Mail.
‘Most of us have known all three of them for years.’
Emergency services were called to the scene on Alexander Drive shortly after 3pm, with the victims treated for critical injuries but pronounced dead.
‘Most of us have known all three of them for years,’ a friend has said
Mrs Pike is a mother-of-eight (pictured), she was killed while taking part in a tandem skydive at Mission Beach on Friday
Skydiving instructors Peter Dawson (pictured left) and Toby Turner (right) died in the accident
Queensland Police said that initial investigations indicated one of the instructor’s – who was skydiving solo – collided with the tandem pair mid-air, with their parachutes failing to deploy.
It is understood the bodies of Mrs Pike and her instructor were found tangled in a tree on a banana farm, about 1.5km from the regular landing zone, NewsCorp reports.
The body of the other instructor was located in the garden of a nearby house.
Two highly experienced male instructors, aged 34 and 35, were also killed in the incident, which happened around 3.15pm
The experience is believed to have been a 50th birthday present for Mrs Pike from her husband Alistair Pike (the two pictured here) and their children, according to the Courier Mail
Mrs Pike (left) and her instructor’s bodies were reportedly discovered tangled in a tree on a banana farm, about 1.5km from the regular landing zone, NewsCorp reports
Skydive Australia released a statement following the incident confirming that three people had died after sustaining injuries in the accident.
‘One of the deceased, a highly experienced instructor who had completed thousands of jumps, was completing a solo jump,’ they said.
‘The other two were jumping as a tandem pair: a highly experienced instructor and a customer.’
The company said skydiving operations had been suspended at Mission Beach while authorities conduct an extensive investigation.
They also extended their ‘deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the individuals and families involved and the broader skydiving community’.
Skydive Australia, with representatives seen talking to police, confirmed that two highly experienced instructors and a customer were killed
The company said skydiving operations had been suspended at Mission Beach while authorities conduct an extensive investigation
Emergency services were called to the incident near Alexander Drive in Mission Beach (pictured)
An eyewitness who saw the incident told the Cairns Post they watched horrified as the accident unfolded.
‘You could see one chute was tangled and it wasn’t opening,’ the man who chose to go unnamed said.
‘I was just watching him in free fall until he went behind the trees, and that was the last I saw.’
He said that it appeared as if the skydiver did not activate a backup parachute.
‘It wasn’t good to watch. I had my heart in my mouth.’
An eyewitness who saw the incident told the Cairns Post they watched horrified as the accident unfolded
Skydivers were pictured landing safely on the Mission Beach site earlier in the day, before the incident occurred
The eyewitness, who chose to go unnamed, said ‘one chute was tangled and it wasn’t opening’
Local Councillor Wayne Kimberley said the incident was a terrible tragedy, with Cassowary Coast Mayor John Kremastos describing the news as devastating, according to the ABC.
‘We are very, very saddened to hear about this news and right now I feel quite gutted actually,’ he said.
‘It’s horrible news for the families and the thoughts of the council and the residents go to all those concerned and the families of those that have been killed.’
Mission Beach, located between Cairns and Townsville, is a regular skydiving spot for tourists, with the fatalities the worst in the industry’s history for the region.
Skydive Mission Beach’s website states that the company offers tandem jumps from altitudes of up to 15,000ft or 4572m.
Police and other agencies remain at the scene, with representatives from The Australian Parachute Federation also sent in from Brisbane to investigate.
It is understood the body of a solo skydiving instructor was found in the garden of a house, while the two tandem skydivers, including Mrs Pike, were located tangled in a tree of a nearby banana farm
Police and other agencies remain at the scene, with representatives from The Australian Parachute Federation also sent in from Brisbane to investigate